


A Promise Kept

by greyone01



Series: 25 Days of Damerey 2018 [17]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: 25 Days of Damerey, DameRey, DamereyResistance, F/M, Implied Relationships, JediPilot, Leia Organa Ships It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-10-03 14:23:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17285738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greyone01/pseuds/greyone01
Summary: Commander Poe Dameron knew she was right, but it did not make the decision any less painful. He throws a last-minute promise, with every intention of making good on it.





	A Promise Kept

**Author's Note:**

> Day 17 of 25 Days of Damerey

Commander Poe Dameron knew she was right, but it did not make the decision any less painful. They were under First Order attack, and while their evacuation was hasty and sloppy, they had managed to get most of the Resistance fighters off the planet. Only three remained on the ground – Poe, Rey and General Leia Organa. They had been unlucky in their retreat to the ship, with enemy fire raining down on them from the sky and ground troops almost cornering them. Leia had ordered the last shuttle to go without her, and she had ordered Poe and Rey to the last remaining starfighter – a tandem X-Wing starfighter, where BB-8 was already loaded. Poe and Rey looked at each other, and they both knew right away that they will be disobeying the general today.

Rey had been quick to make a decision, one that did not have any room for arguments. “You have a better chance getting out of here if I stay and hold them back. And from the looks of it, the only way for that X-Wing to reach hyperspace is if Poe is flying it.” As if to punctuate her statement, the scream of a dozen TIE fighters pierced the air. Before either Poe or Leia could utter a word, they both felt a strong push and were hurtling towards the X-Wing. As the canopy of the fighter started to come down, Poe yelled, “I’ll come back for you, Rey, I promise!”

He did not know if she even heard him. He quickly went through the take-off sequence, BB-8 thankfully having already done everything he could to prepare the ship for take-off. Poe risked one quick look to the Jedi on the ground, his heart sinking as he saw from his heightened vantage point advancing platoons of stormtroopers. The odds are not in their favor, and he prayed with all his heart for her to somehow win this fight.

Despite his experience and skill, the X-Wing still sustained some hits as he flew them off the planet. One of the hits fried the communication system, but Leia knew where the rest of the Resistance went. After five hours of flight, they exited hyperspace and found themselves face to face with Black Squadron in attack formation. Recognizing their ship, Black Squadron stood down and escorted them back to the ground.

“She’s still there,” Leia said quietly as Poe paced while the X-Wing was refueling. He looked at her, distress marring his features. “She made a great sacrifice today, you made a great sacrifice today.”

“Do you know if she’s okay?” Poe asked, running his hand through his hair. The refueling was agonizingly slow, and it was taking all his self-control not to lash out to the refueling crew. 

“I don’t,” Leia shook her head. She laid a hand on his arm. “Thank you, Poe, for what you did today.”

Poe nodded, wordlessly. He watched as the crew go through the concluding stages of refueling, BB-8 rocking impatiently beside him. As soon as the last bolt was secured, the droid sped to get loaded onto the fighter, and Poe was putting his helmet back on. I’m coming, Rey, he silently thought, wishing there was a way he could get the message to her. I’m coming back for you.

*****

“I’ll come back for you, Rey, I promise!”

She heard his shout as she swung her lightsaber to deflect incoming blaster fire. The words jarred something in her, they were practically the very same words she heard once before in a different land, at a different time. Words she had steadfastly hung onto, an empty promise that was never meant to be kept. It was different, the way he said it with such conviction, but she refused to give into the hope that he or anyone else will be coming back for her. Logically, if they do make it out of here, it would be too costly to attempt retrieving one fighter. She had to believe now that she’s back on her own, and if she survives this fight, she will have to continue on her own.

She fought the rising wave of despair that came with that thought. Drawing deep in the Force, she channeled her focus to the battle on hand. She allowed the Force to guide her movements, ignoring the growing fatigue in her limbs. They kept coming, and she kept swinging, holding onto her ground until finally, she was the only one standing. Exhausted, she deactivated her weapon as she collapsed onto the ground. She finally gave into the anguish, reflexively curling into a fetal position as her body wracked with sobs, until sleep mercifully claimed her.

Twilight was settling when she opened her eyes again. She felt disoriented, and she thought she heard a distant boom. She remained on the ground, unmoving, remembering she was alone, surrounded by bodies of slain stormtroopers. She closed her eyes again as fresh tears started falling. 

Alone again, and it was much more difficult to come to terms with it this time. She’s had a taste of how it was to be a part of a group, to experience how it was to be around people who genuinely cared, and maybe even a bit of that special love between two people. It was good while it lasted, and she berated herself for believing it was going to last.

“Rey!”

His shout rang so loud, startling her. She sat up in a start, looking wildly around her. She saw the X-Wing first, standing proud at the same spot where it took off, its canopy flipped open. Movement caught her eye, and then she could see him in his orange flightsuit, running. Running towards her.

He was there before she could even get on her feet. He knelt beside her, and then he was holding her, saying her name again and again. She let herself sink in his embrace, fresh tears spilling from her eyes. He held her tight, and she clung to him as if she will never let go. 

He kept his promise. He came back for her.


End file.
